What’s Buzzing: Soul Taco and Wild & Weird Beer Festival

A HAPPY MARRIAGE OF SOUTHERN BLACK AND LATIN AMERICAN CUISINE

“Because a taco with no soul is just a sandwich.”

Such is the sentiment on the Soul Taco website. But their concept goes beyond an esoteric attempt to imbue their food with “emotional intensity.” Instead, it’s an energetic mash-up of black Southern soul food, Latin American flavors and Californian influences.

I had the opportunity to sample from the tasting menu, and I was impressed with the restaurant’s inspiration and execution.

The restaurant ownership is also a mash-up: Ari Augenbaum brings the soul food expertise, having spent hours with his grandmother in her kitchen and has brought some family secrets to the kitchen. “She had a set of measuring cups,” he said of his grandmother, “but I’m not sure why. She never used them.” Augenbaum’s experience includes a stint alongside celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

Of the other two partners, Nar Hovnanian brings the California spirit, and Trey Owens, a Richmond native, brings more solid restaurant experience.

Soul Taco Smoked Mac and Queso-Dilla

For a sample of the combo cuisine, consider the hush puppies topped with black-eyed peas, chipotle cheese sauce, guacamole, pico de gallo or cotija cheese. Or try the smoked mac and cheese quesadilla, with a delightfully smoky Chihuahua cheese. Then there’s the sweet potato and black-eyed pea taco topped with avocado, cotija cheese and crunchy fried yucca bits, fish tacos (cornmeal-crusted catfish, of course) and tacos with shrimp and root-beer-braised oxtail.

But the pièce de résistance has to be the fried chicken taco – all the goodness of buttermilk-battered Southern fried chicken on a taco, garnished with pickled red onions, avocado, chipotle barbecue crema and agave hot sauce. Mexico and the Deep South will have a party in your mouth.

Tickets are only $16 presale, $20 at the door, which includes a festival glass and three beer tokens, with additional tokens available for $3.

The Fine Creek taproom will be open as usual – and open to anyone, festival goer or no. The taproom will be pouring creative Fine Creek beers, with a diversity of styles – from approachable to adventurous – and serving the seasonally and locally sourced upscale pub menu. Fine Creek is kid friendly but does not allow pets (excepting only service animals).